Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-07
A MYSTERY SOLVED.
THE FACTS IN THE LOWELL GORE CASE
ATLAST.
The Old Man Found Dead in Flat Boat
at the Wharf July u,
1876.

Lowell Gore, whose papers, lately disinter'
red by some of the members OF the BOARD
Of Commissioners, have caused such
commotion in county official circles, and
led to wonderful expenditure OF postage
stamps, has at last been aseertalned'
through the indefatigable efforts OF Com
missioner McGregor, and there IS fail
prospect that the personal property found
upon the deceased, together with his
private papers, will soon be placed In the
hands of those entitled to receive them.
The date of Lowell Cores death has bere'
tofore been placed on the fourth day OF
July by general consent, hut the year IL
which the event occurred has never been
agreed upon. People who were sure they
knew all about it, have placed MIR. Cores
death in about every year from 1851 te
1875, but labored researches among the
dusty files of the newspapers failed tc
make out case The locality OF the man
death has taken on fully as wide range,
The tragedy has been located pretty much
all over the back part Of the county, ny
on Short creek, back of Wellsburg, &c,
but the guesses were all wrong, Now fol
the facts:
On the morning of July 20, 1876, the
body of a man about sixty years OF age
was found lying in a barge mOOred at the
wharf and used by Mr.. Hornbrook as
coal office. The account printed the next
morning stated the deceased was clothed
in a full suit of satinet; his face was Gov
cred with a shaggy beard of reddish hue,
and his general appearance Indicated thai
the unfortunate man had been leading the
life of tramp, although subsequent dis
coyeries went TO show that his connections
were we'll TO do. The cause of his wander
ing from place TO place was OF his OWL
choice, and not from necessity
A jury consisting of J. V. l.. Rodgers,
Fred HuSeman, Leander Mix, Perry Rum
bic, JohnWycoff, S. N. Prather, j. Bur
rows, Jack Adams, VIM. Gray, Sam
Kuylin, Frank Booth and d. K. Meyher
was impaDneled ry Justice Joseph Toliver,
of Clay district, and in their presence g
trunk, discovered at the wharfboat, was
opened and examined. In it was found q
plane, and saw, and tin box containing
letters, deeds, etc. Among the letters
were two addressed to. Lowell Gore, from his
brother Asahel Gore, dated Wilmington, ia
small town in Wisconsin, It is supposed,
one of which mentioned the fact ofSlO,OW
being missing from an estate III which ht
was Interested. 1t also spoke OF domestic
felicities, and alluded TO the wandering lie
of the party to whom addressed. In a
pocketbook found on the deceased was q
ragged fifty cent note, and \ nickel and
four cents, which money is still IN the pos
session OF the Commissioner. DR.. Wilson
examined the corpse, and verdict was
returned by the jury to the effect that
Gore died from apoplexy. The body was
buried by the county authorities.
Since the finding of the papers at the
Court House, and the publication Of the
matter, the members of the special COM
mittee have received letters from almost
every State in the Union, the writers OF
which claimed to be entitled to the papers
and property of the dead man. 1t was
soon ascertained, however, that Lowell
Cores brother lived at ReadsbOrO, VT,
and Mr.. McGregor at once opened up q
correspondence with him. The following
reply was received yesterday
READSDoIO, VI, July 4.
DR.. II. p. McGrsgOr:
DEAR SIR:-YOurs of June - is re-
ceiyed, stating you was not sure that my
brother Lowell was dead ] know was
not present to identify him at the time,
neither was any one OF his family Ol
! friends.
The facts are these: On the 4th of July,
1876, my brother Lowell was here, after q
visit to his sister, Caroline Chase, il
Jacksonville, Vt. On that day he left
here and said he was going tC
West Virginia to buy land
| did rot see him afterwards He heard
that he stopped on his way at North
Adams, Mass, TO visit friends in that
place heard nothing further from my
brother, should say, until the latter part
OF August of the same year, when heard
he was found dead at Wheeling. lie ha6
Away written 10 me III luy slater Caroline
frequently, before, but after August o
that year none of us have ever heard
word from him.
heard that there was an inquest helC
1 at the time by man at Wheeling by thu
name OF TO,l.ysr, some papers being
! found on the body st the time indicated
| that his name was Lowell Gore. He haC
| lived ut River Falls Pierce County, Wis.
many years previous to the year 1876
Mr. Toiliyer, supposing by some paper
found, that his frisnda and relatives liveC
\ = tharn 4 nValfa
quaintanCes in Wisconsin sent letter Il
my sister Caroline, and she sent it to me
Immediately wrote to Mr.. Tolliver de-
scribing my brother At the time of hi!
dealt, he was 6S years old, above
medium size, light hair and blue eyes
al, On old man of -, now. Lowell wa
seven year, Giaer, Sgd if now living would
be 70. At the time ! gave AT. Tolliver s
full description OF him, which be aGEn0Sl
edged as very correct, and said "Without
doubt he is your brother" You have
my writing to him DOW in your possession
wears ago. when my residence was not al
| EeadsbOrO. You also have my sister Caro-
lines old letters 10 him. Ifneed be, will
furnish you sople Cf LOYeil'S handwriting
Now, my dear sir what further pTeol
can furnish you or what further do you
require to show to your satisfaction that
Lowell Gore is dead.
The foregoing statement of the facts in
this matter / aql ready 10 take nv oath to,
OF course, / cannot sweaI 10 That was
done at Wheeling at that time. IL his
statements are satisfactory to you, We will
guarantee to .pay you your travelling eE
penSes and for the time You spend in the
business, as you said in your letter Of June
&c, O, bringing the papers to North Adams
and turning tLeG oyer to All administrator.
If you conclude to do su, t.eas2 Jet me
hear from you. ASAHEL GORE.
This letter and the facts in the case were
isiS before the Board of Commissioners
yesterday. The natter was continued in
the hands of the speciai o.LlE.;t.ee, bat it
is likely Mir. McGregor will be sent OH, u
Readsboro with the papers. The case is a
remarkable one all through.
BOY DROWNED.
Little Eddie Robinson Meets Bis DestA IN
the Ohio.
Yesterday afternoon shortly after 3